September 12, 2013

Good morning. If yesterday was Never Forget, then today has to be Always Remember.

 

On Sept 11, we were attacked. On Sept 12, we responded. With typical American fortitude and determination. Things are looking pretty messed up right now, but we are not helpless. We are in fact ordained for truth justice and spirit. God help us that we can respond in the appropriate way. Make it a good day, folks...

In Memoriam - Bailey Cooper

So little time, so much impact. Thank you Bailey. You are not gone, just ahead of us.

Said the Shepherd Boy to the Mighty King

Do you hear what I hear? Do you see what I see?

He had no gift to bring, so he played his drum for Him, pah-rum-pah-pum-pum.

Today marks the end of Advent, the season of Waiting. For today, in a manger, long ago, the Christ Child was born to us. King. God. Man. Tempted in many ways, to be an example to us, but perfect anyway. How do we know about this Birth? Because it was announced to the people all through time. Broadcast, as my friend Aaron Cotton told us a week ago. No accident, the news was dropped in across time, as noted in Genesis 49:10 He is to come from Judah. 2 Samuel 7:12 He is to come from the line of David. Isaiah 7:14 He would be born of a virgin. Isaiah 9:6-7 Many names, one God forever. Hosea 11:1 He would flee from Egypt. Micah 5:2 He is to be born in Bethlehem.

Luke tells us that the shepherds left their flocks and went to see the Baby Jesus. They were told about it by the angels who told them of Great News, and then the shepherds spread the word of their findings all around. Matthew tells us of the Magi, talking to Herod, who had bad intentions. The Magi followed the Star from the east to the west, until it stopped over Bethlehem. Yes, it stopped. Retrograde motion, look it up. And then John summarizes for us that the Word was with God, was God, and became flesh.He lived among us.

This promise is repeated and confirmed. Anything that is repeated in the Bible is very important, and I think this qualifies! The promises of the Old Testament are fulfilled in the New Testament, and everything changes from there. The Law is the Law, and Jesus came to fulfill it, but He came to breath new life into us. John also says that the Christ came to the world, but the world did not know Him. They did not recognize Him. They did not receive Him. Those of us who have received Him are adopted. Chosen. Set apart. We are different, and we act that way. Most of the time. And God is good with that. He has chosen jars of clay to spread the word. Shepherds, the lowliest of men, and kings, the highest. And everything in between.

And so, as the angels worshiped,  "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to all men, on whom his favor rests," and announced the birth of Christ, we are the adopted ones, the beneficiaries of that Good News, and it is to be spread by us, just as the angels and shepherds did. By voice and by action.

Merry Christmas to all!!!

It's not the way we think it is

I talked with some people yesterday, who were upset and confused about how things have gone this week. I told them about an email I got on Wednesday. It basically said that the Isrealites are God's chosen people. He punished them because they were disobedient, and had them captured and moved to Babylon. They had a rough time there, But He took care of them while they were there, and had a plan for them, and promised them that there was a hope for them. He told them to settle down, get married, find a place to live, have kids, work the land, and live life there while they endured this. He told them he would make them prosper, protect them, and give them hope and a future. Despite the fact that they were in captivity.

We are in a kind of exile. In our own land. But those same promises are available to us as believers, because we are His adopted. Same status as the Isrealites. We call them Israelis today, but its the same people. If nothing else, we should keep our heads up, not allow anything to get us down, and keep plowing ahead. Cuz we are Americans, and that's what we do. And we have a hope and a future. No doubt.

I had the pleasure and privilege this past week of attending EntreLeadership, which is a leadership conference put on by Dave Ramsey's organization. Aside from a mind-bending 3 days of intense learning and communing, a very large takeaway came from Dave himself. He shared some of his story with us, and his biggest point was - Don't Give Up. No matter what, don't give up. Sometimes we have to learn the hard way, and sometimes that is the best teacher, but God is totally interested in loving and supporting His people. He wants us to succeed. God doesn't define success the same way we do. But He wants us to use the talents, skills and gifts that He gave us, to glorify Him, and to serve others. He honors our obedience and faith with blessings only He can give. One of Dave's principles is to have the heart of a teacher. I had to prove to him that I have that to be selected as one of his insurance ELP's. Being a teacher means that you let go of your own interests, and pour what you have into someone else. I have found that the more I teach, the more I learn. I am not a professional teacher. Not comparing myself to those heroic souls who take on the world everyday working with our future leaders. But I know that the more I seek to serve Him and other people, the better I feel, the more connected I feel to God, and frankly, the more blessings I get. Not just money. Not really even talking about that. Blessings come in many flavors. Dave said don't quit. Don't give up. Don't stop listening to Him. If you are a believer, He WILL speak to you. You just need to be quiet enough to hear Him. If you are not a believer, He still has a Word for you. It's the Bible, and He speaks directly to non-believers in it. It's a battle out there, no question. Maybe more so than ever in history. Don't stop believing. Don't quit spiritually, civicly, your career, your marriage, your kids, your relationships, your country, your faith, your God, your peace and joy. Someone else may be depending on you. We were not put here on earth to be a hermit. Or a loner. No matter what personality type you are, you have what you need to make a difference. Don't pass it up. Make a difference. Look around. Listen around. Go find somewhere to serve.

40 Days of Prayer

Join me in this. This is the most important thing that can be done to affect our upcoming election and national crisis. Not money, phone calls, walks, posts, signs. Without this, we are doomed, no matter who the election favors. Read it. Spread it. Do it. Claim it. Meet me there. Click here.

September 12

Today is September 12. It happens to be my brother's birthday. It's also the day after September 11. As you probably do, I remember where I was when I first heard about the first plane hitting the World Trade Center Tower. I was shaving, listening to the radio. The host said that there were reports coming in that a plane hit the building. I figured some private pilot in a small plane had trouble and crashed. What I didn't know was that while I was getting up and shaving, there was a fight going on in the air, on 4 planes. First an offensive takeover and violence, then a defensive reaction to try to fight back, resist, or at least minimize the loss of life. That day was a daze, surreal, wondering what happens next. I guess the last building didn't fall until later that afternoon. It was a long day. I tried to explain to my kids about that. My older daughter was upset; she said her sister was too young to understand, but she was scared. My wife and I worked through the day. I remember looking at each other from time to time; a questioning look that does not have an answer. We watched the news, how could you avoid it. We went to church that night. Prayed to God Almighty for protection, for our leaders, for our country. We put the kids to bed, and tried to settle down ourselves. The next day came, just as it always does. It was another pretty day, weather-wise. But there was a different feeling. Everything seemed in suspense. On the other hand, I remember feeling a different feeling. Not a victim anymore, but a responder. For once, the country that needed us was our own. It was bad. But it was Good. There was a sense of community. A sense of protectionism. Of patriotism. Of God. Of our family, friends and neighbors. I learned early on in my career that usually the most valuable experiences I have come from trauma, failure, unplanned events despite the best of planning, sometimes just a sense of action, or an indiscriminate act. September 12 was not a fun day, but it was a day of regrouping. There were alot of flags out. They stayed out. I have been flying mine pretty much ever since. People were nice. Respectful. They acknowledged one another, even strangers. We were probably ignorant of how badly some people wanted to hurt us. We seem to have missed a few warning signs. One of them, the 1993 attack on the same site, was far from subtle. Can't say that anymore. Might have gone too far in the other direction. I know for myself, I know more about my country now. I notice more things. I know why and how and where it was built, and who did it, and what they built it from. I know that most of the original people came here from a country that was an empire, and that we turned on. I know that we fought the French, and then they saved our butts at the end of the Revolution. I know that we are the most generous, giving, industrious, creative, intelligent, resourceful, grass-roots people on the earth. I know that we are a Divinely blessed and appointed country, and we are chosen for His good work. I used to think that we are not as religious of a nation as some others, especially in the Middle East. I noticed that those countries are more known for their religion and practice it outright than we did. Then I discovered that we used to be that way. Most of the colonies each had their own denominational background. All of us that came over here brought our faith and denominational preferences here, and practiced them. And we were then looking for a place to be able to honor and worship and proclaim our God without somebody else telling us how to do it. And when it came to jump ship, as it were, the leaders consistently and thoughtfully and prayerfully sought the guidance of God as they put this Nation together. And I believe from a Divinely inspired Hand. And then I noticed that some of that faithful action and purpose was coming back to us. And then I learned more about the Bible. I learned more about people. I interacted with them. Sometimes across a border, sometimes just across the state. I found myself behaving differently. I wasn't necessarily misbehaving before, especially from a secular view, but I was definitely more aware of my purpose, my influence, my reactions, and my contributions. I remembered a bumper sticker I saw a long time ago. Said something like - You are going to be an influence. Is it going to be a good one or a bad one? I try to be a good influence, despite what Charles Barkley said. I think many of us do. September 11 2001 was certainly a tragic day. It caught us off guard, but it also refocused us in ways that couldn't otherwise have occurred. Here's the best part. September 12 2001 was the day we woke up, saw the Sun, thanked God for being here, and went about the task of recovery. I'm not talking about shopping. It took a week for the planes to get back in the air, but the Americans were back at it, some beat up, some physically injured, many grieving the lost, but ready to fight another day, and with a renewed vigor and perspective and strength. Every day is like September 12. And the further we draw away from the original September 11, the more diligent we should be to remember the past, and how we changed on that day, and the day after. America is an idea, not a place. It has its home on a parcel of land, but its not the land that is special, its the people, and Whom they fear, and whom they serve. God and each other. I am a fatalistically positive person, and so I tend to simplify and emphasize the good, which might be sometimes unrealistic, but its the only way to move forward. Light overcomes darkness. It doesn't work the other way around. Many people risk alot, including personal safety and life, to come here. Have you noticed that they are still doing it today, even with all the trouble we have. There are new students at our high school today who just got here. Don't speak a lick of English. But they will, and they will grow and learn and do and be. These are my thoughts, 11 years later, September 12 2012. A Good Day.